William White has developed this product with his Chinese factory and then pulled his product from a huge national distributor because of the hike in their margin take . . . he told me what they demanded. He’s set up a web page, he’s used it on his building in Brunswick Heads and we are going to use both products in our Tasmanian renovation.

The pink • looks like 19th century corrugated tin down pipe . . . but its modern PVc formed and painted to look the part. The * decorative eave is PVC painted in rust finish that really tricks the eye and is so easy to work and so affordable. Go here to view their unfinished web, this info is straight from the horse’s mouth. Contact Wil at <willyandjo@hotmail.com>

Below is their three story building, shop (Fabulous Mrs Fox) and residence in Brunswick Heads, northern NSW. Seriously chic and killing the retail trade down in those trendy parts, search for their Facebook page and go-like . . .

First thing Sunday we hit the road for two days in and around Brunswick Heads, northern NSW – freaky really.

End of school holidays, needing some massage, long walks and snooping shops . . . new restaurants and we meet an old (creative) acquaintance of Barbara’s, Jo and her Wil of (William White Industries) and www.theclassicfamily.com.au

The questions were: 1) do we make silver fitted caps for each tusk? . . . and they sell them as objects. 2) do we endeavour to make them into wearable bracelets? 3) if so how to make them both fit her slender slim wrists? 4) There will have to be lots of metal, Silver or Rose Gold? 5) how to best show off the patina and growth lines of the tusks?

Barbara, Juan-Luis, mal E, Vanessa and Michael played with the options . . . sometimes they we were all in accord, ideas were lobbed into the mix like wild-fire – two meetings then the solution was drawn up, costed a few ways and accepted in a few minutes.

Feedback from Vanessa Roche, via iPhone messaging: “Nancy Cunard photographed by Man Ray, she is fun to google . . . Thanks again for the bracelets, they are just perfect! I might try to build up to this look”. The image sent was too small to post – our Nancy Cunard image comes from the Jewellery to the Lost library ‘ Costume Jewellery in Vogue’ by Jane Mulvagh.

The old logo (above) and location has worked a treat, so much so that it is now almost 20 years since I introduced Philip Johnson to Robert Riddel and their relationship – like the restaurant has endured so well. We are in for the VIP re-launch, their invite (below) launches the new logo and this new phase in Brisbane dining pleasure! Bookings via the web.

French mercury gilded bronze and brass c1790–1820 is the last period of perfection. The case work is still robustly made with their steel and brass ties and nuts still substantial. The problem being two fold – removing the dirt and chemical residue remaining after time and abuse + finding all the bad repairs made over time to keep the case together.

The dial and bezel is in bad shape while the movement is totally rusted together. Dr Sal Rahman knows he has a particular divine clock and wants to spare no expense to have it restored, its the long period waiting that is the hardest.

With this centenary of WW1 many public orientated organisations are presenting mementoes of service. A group of nurses from the Royal Brisbane Women’s Hospital – (Museum of Nurses History) . . . called the studio seeking assistance with objects in their care. This wonderful steel chatelaine has an intimate story but also shows surface breakdown due to rust and the previous storage environment. We suggested minimal intervention, first a scalpel was used to cut away the surface growth and burnish away the rust then brass brushing, cleaning with gum turpentine + olive oil and hand rubbing to bring up the patination. To be collected today and into their display tomorrow . . .

Barbara has created pierced ‘lace’ work in wax and developed many versions of this technique for over 20 years now. We are also working on larger sculptural elements for a series of suspended works following this ‘lace’ theme called “new nature” but we remain in awe of this particular caterpillar’s edible art, recently found on Tumblr.

So Barbara designed and made her wedding ring over 20 years ago with a rather special setting, it showed the round diamond off in a square setting with Barbara’s usual abundant use of metal. A deep stone requiring a high cushioned setting – well we have been commissioned to cut away the stone, use the metal and create a new tapered offset ring and do a new gem encrusted band to accompany the new ring. Everything that went through the first ceremony stays intact for whatever the future throws up . . . we loved this sentiment and the brief from this long standing Melbourne client.

I spent the morning with Max amongst his orchids and ferns at Kangaroo Point, Brisbane. Then into his folders of illustrator and photoshop files and his earlier workbooks, diaries and hand drawings. His web site has two books for sale that most of my contacts will simply want to have at home to adorn their library’s garden section; ‘the enchanted orchid’ and ‘striptease – It’s all done with flowers’. Both are beautifully post produced and printed on quality stocks, both are trimmed to 250mm H x 210mm W.

With ‘the enchanted orchid’ Max has designed, photographed and written this picture book that cleverly covers his chosen category. 144 pages drawn on to a folded laminated cover, first published in Sydney in 1999. Max has now done a second imprint co-published with Vanity House and his Cooroy Gardens entity in 2003 with a small number remaining from a very respectable second run. It sells for A$40.00 + postage of A$15.00

His ‘striptease – It’s all done with flowers’ was co-published later in 2005 with Vanity House and Cooroy Gardens also and is really a peek-aboo at his own marvellous story and talents with some generous take-aways for those interested in illustration, those with a handle on the Latin names for the floral species and those just looking for a great gift and read. It sells for A$25.00 + postage of A$15.00

Again, Max is selling his remaining copies on-line so get in touch better still post him a cheque today <Max Fulcher 101/193 Main Street Kangaroo Point QLD 4169 Australia> and don’t forget to add your postal address. Repost this to your own blogs also.